As agreed upon the night before, Naruto and Hinata met mid-morning to run some errands before they would inevitably end up at Ichiraku for lunch. It had been a sweet day, one filled with stolen kisses and longing glances. The couple held hands as they walked through the village, the streets just as busy as ever, regardless of the freezing temperatures.
Bundled up from head to toe, all you could see of the pair were their intertwined hands and their flushed cheeks. From far away people watched them as they passed by, smiling and whispering to each other about just how fast the two had fallen in love. It was clear to everyone that Naruto was completely and totally smitten, that the Hyuga heiress had laid claim to his heart. With how fast their relationship had progressed, they sensed a wedding on the horizon, that was for sure.
After having their fill of ramen, they parted ways. Naruto leaving Hinata at Kurenai's doorstep and agreeing to pick her up right after he spoke to Iruka. She smiled sweetly at him, an encouraging last glance all he needed before turning on his heel and marching back onto the chilly streets.
"You can do this," He murmured to himself, taking a deep breath as he approached the academy, suddenly more nervous than he had been when he had spoken to Lord Hyuga. He knew it was because aside from Hinata's father, the one person who he had most wanted to speak to about this next chapter in his life was Iruka.
Having grown up an orphan, Iruka became the person he looked up to, confided in, and of course, terrorized for the better part of his pre-teen years. To him, Iruka was the closest thing he had to a father, and although he had never expressed it, he just somehow knew Iruka knew it too.
"Naruto! What a surprise," Iruka ruffled Naruto's hair as if he was still twelve, his headband falling down upon his forehead.
Naruto huffed, "Iruka-sensei, come on. We can't just shake hands or something?"
"Not even a hug? You just want us to shake hands?"
"Forget it," Naruto said, rolling his eyes as he adjusted his headband.
"Hey, you wanted to meet me. Which, by the way, thanks for calling. It's been weeks since I've heard from you," He said as if reprimanding Naruto, "If it wasn't for me running into Sakura I wouldn't have even known you had fallen ill."
"It was nothing, Iruka-sensei. Come on, you know me. I'm up and at 'em again in an instant."
Iruka smiled as he clasped Naruto's shoulder, "Stubborn as always," He said, shaking his head, "Let's head inside, I put some tea on."
The two chatted as they made their way to Iruka's new office, where, as promised, he had already warmed up water in his electric kettle.
As he poured, Naruto slipped off his winter jacket and breathed out, trying to relieve himself of the nervousness that was coursing through him.
"Alright, spill," Iruka said knowingly, cocking an eyebrow at Naruto.
"What?"
"You didn't just come to see me for tea, I know you had a reason. So come on, let me have it. What did you do?"
"Why do you assume I did something?" Naruto scowled as he brought the mug Iruka had placed in front of him to his lips, he immediately yelled out "Shit!" as the steam hot liquid hit his mouth.
Iruka stifled a laugh as he shook his head, "You knew it was hot."
"Iruka-sensei, please..." Naruto pleaded, his tongue burning and his patience wavering.
"What is it?"
Naruto sighed, "See, the thing is..."
"Is...Is Hinata..." He cleared his throat, "Is Hinata pregnant?"
Naruto almost choked on the tea he managed to sip, "Why would you say that!?"
"Why are you acting so strange!?"
"Kakashi didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"Well, at least I know he can keep a secret..."
"What secret, Naruto?"
Naruto took a breath and finally said, "I asked Hinata to marry me. She said yes."
"W-what!?"
The blonde nodded, bashfully looking away, "Y-yeah. I talked to Lord Hyuga as well. We're getting married in-"
Iruka wrapped Naruto in an embrace so tight he almost couldn't breathe. But, after the initial shock of it all, Naruto wrapped his arms around his sensei, laughing into his shoulder.
"I can't believe you're getting married," Iruka said, wiping the corner of his eyes.
"Are you crying, Iruka-sensei?"
"N-no. I just...wow."
"That shocking?"
"We knew it was bound to happen, you two are just...perfect for each other. I just didn't think..."
"This soon?"
"This soon," Iruka repeated, leaning back upon his desk, "Wait, just how soon?"
"End of March."
Unsurprised, Iruka merely smiled at his former student, "When you know you know."
"Exactly."
"I bet Kakashi and Shikamaru are having a heck of a time planning, aren't they?"
Naruto shrugged, "It's not every day you get married."
"It certainly isn't."
Naruto chuckled, "You were kind of the first person I wanted to tell, no one else knows yet. Well, no one I told on purpose. And Kakashi and Shikamaru don't count, I had to tell them so we could start planning, you know?"
Tears started to well again in Iruka's eyes, making Naruto a tad sentimental as well. He willed himself not to cry, not yet. He was sure there'd be plenty of tears down the round as they got closer to the day, but today he was only going to smile and swallow the lump that was forming in his throat.
"I-I'm honored."
Naruto nodded, "I'm glad you're so happy for us."
"I've always wished for you to find happiness, you know that. You deserve everything, Naruto. Everything."
"Alright, enough. Save it for the wedding speech, Iruka-sensei. I don't want to start getting all mopey before I go pick up Hinata."
Iruka laughed, wiping his tears, and trying to compose himself.
The pair talked for about an hour over tea, discussing what it meant to be a husband, and what Naruto's life would look like now. Although Iruka was a forever bachelor, he knew what it meant to be a man and to have a family. Naruto hung on his every word, just as when he was a child.
"And you know, you can always talk to me," Iruka said as he walked Naruto back out into the cold, clasping his former student's shoulder once more.
"Don't worry, I'll be around more often asking for advice," Naruto said, already thinking about asking his former sensei his opinion on what to get Hinata for her birthday. He wanted it to be as meaningful as her gift to him this past year.
Iruka laughed as he watched Naruto walk away, back into the snow and towards the village. He couldn't believe that the same brat he had been worried about all those years ago was now a man about to be wed.
"Bye, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled over his shoulder, his smile apparent even from far away.
Iruka waved as he let a breath out. It was truly crazy how quickly things changed.
Hinata watched as Naruto made his way back upon the street before she mustered all the calm she could to knock on Kurenai's door.
She had barely rapped the hard surface before Kurenai appeared, swinging the door open and warmly exclaiming, "Hinata! I'm so happy you stopped by," as she wrapped her former student in a loving embrace.
"Hina-chan!" Mirai yelled, bolting towards them and grabbing onto Hinata's leg.
"Miss Mirai! Look at you!" Hinata exclaimed as she swept up the toddler, "You're getting bigger by the day."
"And sassier," Kurenai added with a laugh. She opened the door to her apartment and motioned for Hinata to step in, "What an unexpected visit, Hinata. I was thrilled when you called, it's not that often you invite yourself over anymore."
"I don't invite myself over," Hinata said, clearly embarrassed.
"Oh, like I mind. You know I'm just joking, I thought you were past the shyness already," Hinata merely glared at Kurenai, making her sensei laugh once more, "Alright, alright. I'll stop. I made some coffee already, did you want a cup?"
"Yes, please."
Kurenai stood at the counter for a moment, fixing up a mug for Hinata. With a flourish, she set down both mugs at the kitchen table and nudged one towards her guest, "Extra cream and extra sugar."
"Thank you," Hinata immediately took a sip and smiled, "It's perfect."
"So," Kurenai said, stirring her coffee with a spoon, "Did Naruto ask for your hand?"
Hinata stared blankly at Kurenai, "Sensei, why do you always do this?"
"So he did?"
"You couldn't just let me tell you?"
"How did he ask?"
"We're really going to do this again?"
"Did he talk to your father?"
Hinata responded with a sigh, "Yes, he spoke to my father."
"And...how did he ask?"
Hinata hadn't realized until that moment that perhaps saying he asked while they were in bed together wasn't the ideal engagement story.
"O-oh. Well, um. He asked after he came home from a mission, in his apartment."
"He didn't plan it out, did he?"
"It was very unexpected."
"Very Naruto, I wouldn't expect any less. And Hiashi is happy about his daughter getting married?"
"He appears to be. He and Naruto are having tea soon."
"I can see those two becoming close."
Hinata nodded, bringing her mug to her lips once more, "One can only hope."
"And the wedding is going to be when?"
"End of March."
Kurenai raised her eyebrows, "Any reason for the rush?"
"Naruto knows what he wants...so do I. Why wait any longer?"
Hinata's bluntness made Kurenai burst out in laughter, "True, true. The heart wants what it wants."
"It certainly does," Hinata said with a smile.
"Young love," Kurenai said dramatically, a dreamy look upon her face, "Cherish it. This time in your lives is sure to be a beautiful one."
Hinata nodded, letting Kurenai continue on rattling off questions at her and sneaking cookies off the table to Mirai. The pair talked until they heard a knock on the door. Kurenai, already knowing who it could possibly be, gave Hinata a sly smile, "He's right on time."
"Hina-chan. I don't want you to go," Mirai pouted as she ran up to Hinata, burying her head into Hinata's shoulder.
Neither of them paid attention to Kurenai welcoming Naruto in, or him shyly peeking his head into the kitchen to look for his fiance.
"Those two are obsessed with each other," Kurenai said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Always have been."
Although Naruto said nothing in response, the stupid grin on his face said it all.
He watched in wonder as Hinata comforted the toddler, a glow upon her he hadn't seen before. His cheeks flushed as he caught himself imagining her with their own children. He knew she'd be just as gentle and loving with them as she was with sweet Mirai. It almost made his heart ache at the thought, he had never known a pain like this one. Both sweet and sad at the same time. It was comparable only to what he felt when he told his mother he loved her for the first and last time.
He wanted the chance to be a father, he was sure of that now. More sure than he had been of anything in his life.
Hinata didn't notice her husband-to-be in the doorway as she was still comforting the toddler in her arms, but Kurenai caught it immediately. She smiled to herself as she looked upon Hinata with her daughter, hoping that the couple would know the happiness of a child when they were ready.
"Oh, Naruto-Kun," Hinata said as she got up from the table, Mirai still clinging to her, "Are you ready to go?"
"I think we should be asking Mirai that," He said waving to the toddler. Mirai dug her face into Hinata's neck, clearly embarrassed by the attention.
Kurenai grabbed the child from Hinata's embrace and peppered kisses upon her face, making both Naruto and Hinata laugh in unison with a giggly Mirai.
"Well, we're looking forward to the wedding, you two."
Naruto reddened, grabbing Hinata's scarf from the hook and wrapping it around her as he mumbled, "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei."
Hinata, with a blush playing upon her cheeks as well, nodded and said, "I'll be around again soon, I promise."
"I'm keeping you to that. We have lots to discuss."
The couple said goodbye to Kurenai and Mirai, exchanging hugs and more receiving more congratulations at the door.
As they made their way back onto the street, Hinata rested her head on Naruto's shoulder.
"Tired?" He asked, his hand wrapped tightly around hers.
"No," She responded, taking a breath, "Just taking it all in."
He chuckled, "Same here."
"So, no cake hunting today?" Hinata asked when she noticed they were walking in the opposite direction of the bakery.
"What's the point? We know we're getting strawberry shortcake."
"We did not agree to that."
Naruto ignored her, "And anyway, it'd be better to get it fresh for your sister and father later this week when I come over for tea."
"Ah, good point."
"Besides, if we skip the bakery we can head back to mine for a bit before I take you back home."
"Oh? And why would we need to do that?"
He leaned into her ear and whispered, "To finish what we started yesterday."
As much as Hinata wished she could resist, the simple fact of the matter was that she'd been waiting to be alone with Naruto for what felt like forever. She could barely contain herself, she began picking up her pace noticeably.
"Is that a yes?" Naruto asked as he noticed they were now practically jogging.
Hinata looked up at him, cheeks ablaze and eyes sparkling, "Absolutely."
Naruto didn't need to hear anything further. When they turned a corner away from prying eyes, he picked her up bridal style and began sprinting towards his apartment.
"You're crazy," She yelled as the wind whipped her face.
Naruto pulled her scarf around her a little tighter and gave her his signature grin, "Just crazy enough."
Hinata laughed, her heart as light and free as they seemed to be as they hopped from rooftop to rooftop. Even the cold couldn't stop the heat that coursed through them as they thought of what was to come.
"So much for until the wedding," She murmured into his chest, feeling especially safe in his arms at the moment.
"Who said we're doing anything?"
"Don't be a tease."
"All we're doing is finishing what we started, nothing more, nothing less."
"Are you sure we couldn't do a little more?"
"Can you at least wait until I put you down for you to try tempting me?"
Hinata laughed, hoping that it'd always be this way. She had no doubt it would be.